Crossplay Three-Letter Words
All 970 three-letter words with Crossplay point values, plus the hooks and high scorers worth learning first.
Why three-letter words matter more than you think
Two-letter words open parallel plays; three-letter words are how you hook. Almost every strong Crossplay turn either extends an existing two-letter word into a three (turning AX into ZAX or WAX) or lays a short word across a bonus square that a longer word can't reach. Knowing the 970 three-letter words in this solver's tournament-style dictionary is the difference between seeing one playable spot and seeing five.
Point values in parentheses are base values (before bonus squares) using Crossplay's own tile values, which differ from Scrabble's.
Highest-scoring three-letter words
These are the three-letter words with the biggest base value. Land the heavy tile on a corner triple-letter square and a 15-point word becomes a 35-point turn.
| Word | Points |
|---|---|
| ZAX | 19 |
| ZEK | 17 |
| JAW | 16 |
| JOW | 16 |
| JUG | 16 |
| WIZ | 16 |
| BIZ | 15 |
| FEZ | 15 |
| FIZ | 15 |
| JAB | 15 |
| JAG | 15 |
| JAY | 15 |
| JIB | 15 |
| JIG | 15 |
| JOB | 15 |
| JOG | 15 |
| JOY | 15 |
| KEX | 15 |
| PYX | 15 |
| VEX | 15 |
| VOX | 15 |
| ZAG | 15 |
| ZIG | 15 |
| COZ | 14 |
| HAJ | 14 |
| JAM | 14 |
| WAX | 14 |
| ZAP | 14 |
| ZIP | 14 |
| ADZ | 13 |
Best two-letter words to hook into threes
A "hook" is a single letter added to the front or back of a word already on the board. These two-letter words accept the most one-letter extensions, so a lone AT or OR on the board is a placement opportunity, not a dead end.
| Two-letter word | Extensions | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| AR | 22 | ARB, ARC, ARE, ARF, ARK, ARM, ARS, ART, BAR, CAR, EAR, FAR … |
| IN | 19 | AIN, BIN, DIN, FIN, GIN, HIN, INK, INN, INS, JIN, KIN, LIN … |
| AT | 19 | ATE, ATT, BAT, CAT, EAT, FAT, GAT, HAT, KAT, LAT, MAT, OAT … |
| AS | 18 | AAS, ASH, ASK, ASP, ASS, BAS, FAS, GAS, HAS, KAS, LAS, MAS … |
| AW | 18 | AWA, AWE, AWL, AWN, CAW, DAW, HAW, JAW, LAW, MAW, NAW, PAW … |
| AY | 18 | AYE, AYS, BAY, CAY, DAY, FAY, GAY, HAY, JAY, KAY, LAY, MAY … |
| OW | 18 | BOW, COW, DOW, HOW, JOW, LOW, MOW, NOW, OWE, OWL, OWN, POW … |
| TA | 18 | ETA, TAB, TAD, TAE, TAG, TAJ, TAM, TAN, TAO, TAP, TAR, TAS … |
| AD | 17 | ADD, ADO, ADS, ADZ, BAD, CAD, DAD, FAD, GAD, HAD, LAD, MAD … |
| AG | 17 | AGA, AGE, AGO, BAG, DAG, FAG, GAG, HAG, JAG, LAG, MAG, NAG … |
| AN | 17 | ANA, AND, ANE, ANI, ANT, ANY, BAN, CAN, FAN, GAN, MAN, NAN … |
| RE | 17 | ARE, ERE, IRE, ORE, REB, REC, RED, REE, REF, REG, REI, REM … |
| ET | 17 | BET, ETA, ETH, FET, GET, HET, JET, LET, MET, NET, PET, RET … |
| AM | 16 | AMA, AMI, AMP, AMU, BAM, CAM, DAM, GAM, HAM, JAM, LAM, NAM … |
| YE | 16 | AYE, BYE, DYE, EYE, LYE, PYE, RYE, TYE, WYE, YEA, YEH, YEN … |
All 970 three-letter words, A to Z
A — AAH (5) AAL (4) AAS (3) ABA (6) ABO (6) ABS (6) ABY (9) ACE (5) ACT (5) ADD (5) ADO (4) ADS (4) ADZ (13) AFF (9) AFT (6) AGA (6) AGE (6) AGO (6) AHA (5) AID (4) AIL (4) AIM (5) AIN (3) AIR (3) AIS (3) AIT (3) ALA (4) ALB (7) ALE (4) ALL (5) ALP (6) ALS (4) ALT (4) AMA (5) AMI (5) AMP (7) AMU (6) ANA (3) AND (4) ANE (3) ANI (3) ANT (3) ANY (6) APE (5) APT (5) ARB (6) ARC (5) ARE (3) ARF (6) ARK (8) ARM (5) ARS (3) ART (3) ASH (5) ASK (8) ASP (5) ASS (3) ATE (3) ATT (3) AUK (9) AVA (8) AVE (8) AVO (8) AWA (7) AWE (7) AWL (8) AWN (7) AXE (10) AYE (6) AYS (6) AZO (12)
B — BAA (6) BAD (7) BAG (9) BAH (8) BAL (7) BAM (8) BAN (6) BAP (8) BAR (6) BAS (6) BAT (6) BAY (9) BED (7) BEE (6) BEG (9) BEL (7) BEN (6) BET (6) BEY (9) BIB (9) BID (7) BIG (9) BIN (6) BIO (6) BIS (6) BIT (6) BIZ (15) BOA (6) BOB (9) BOD (7) BOG (9) BOO (6) BOP (8) BOS (6) BOT (6) BOW (10) BOX (13) BOY (9) BRA (6) BRO (6) BRR (6) BUB (10) BUD (8) BUG (10) BUM (9) BUN (7) BUR (7) BUS (7) BUT (7) BUY (10) BYE (9) BYS (9)
C — CAB (8) CAD (6) CAM (7) CAN (5) CAP (7) CAR (5) CAT (5) CAW (9) CAY (8) CEE (5) CEL (6) CEP (7) CHI (7) CIS (5) COB (8) COD (6) COG (8) COL (6) CON (5) COO (5) COP (7) COR (5) COS (5) COT (5) COW (9) COX (12) COY (8) COZ (14) CRY (8) CUB (9) CUD (7) CUE (6) CUM (8) CUP (8) CUR (6) CUT (6) CWM (11)
D — DAB (7) DAD (5) DAG (7) DAH (6) DAK (9) DAL (5) DAM (6) DAP (6) DAW (8) DAY (7) DEB (7) DEE (4) DEL (5) DEN (4) DEV (9) DEW (8) DEX (11) DEY (7) DIB (7) DID (5) DIE (4) DIG (7) DIM (6) DIN (4) DIP (6) DIS (4) DIT (4) DOC (6) DOE (4) DOG (7) DOL (5) DOM (6) DON (4) DOR (4) DOS (4) DOT (4) DOW (8) DRY (7) DUB (8) DUD (6) DUE (5) DUG (8) DUI (5) DUN (5) DUO (5) DUP (7) DYE (7)
E — EAR (3) EAT (3) EAU (4) EBB (9) ECU (6) EDH (6) EEL (4) EFF (9) EFS (6) EFT (6) EGG (9) EGO (6) EKE (8) ELD (5) ELF (7) ELK (9) ELL (5) ELM (6) ELS (4) EME (5) EMF (8) EMS (5) EMU (6) END (4) ENG (6) ENS (3) EON (3) ERA (3) ERE (3) ERG (6) ERN (3) ERR (3) ERS (3) ESS (3) ETA (3) ETH (5) EVE (8) EWE (7) EYE (6)
F — FAD (7) FAG (9) FAN (6) FAR (6) FAS (6) FAT (6) FAX (13) FAY (9) FED (7) FEE (6) FEH (8) FEM (8) FEN (6) FER (6) FET (6) FEU (7) FEW (10) FEY (9) FEZ (15) FIB (9) FID (7) FIE (6) FIG (9) FIL (7) FIN (6) FIR (6) FIT (6) FIX (13) FIZ (15) FLU (8) FLY (10) FOB (9) FOE (6) FOG (9) FOH (8) FON (6) FOP (8) FOR (6) FOU (7) FOX (13) FOY (9) FRO (6) FRY (9) FUB (10) FUD (8) FUG (10) FUN (7) FUR (7)
G — GAB (9) GAD (7) GAE (6) GAG (9) GAL (7) GAM (8) GAN (6) GAP (8) GAR (6) GAS (6) GAT (6) GAY (9) GED (7) GEE (6) GEL (7) GEM (8) GEN (6) GET (6) GEY (9) GHI (8) GIB (9) GID (7) GIE (6) GIG (9) GIN (6) GIP (8) GIT (6) GNU (7) GOA (6) GOB (9) GOD (7) GOO (6) GOR (6) GOT (6) GOX (13) GOY (9) GUL (8) GUM (9) GUN (7) GUT (7) GUV (12) GUY (10) GYM (11)
H — HAD (6) HAE (5) HAG (8) HAH (7) HAJ (14) HAM (7) HAO (5) HAP (7) HAS (5) HAT (5) HAW (9) HAY (8) HEH (7) HEM (7) HEN (5) HEP (7) HER (5) HES (5) HET (5) HEW (9) HEX (12) HEY (8) HIC (7) HID (6) HIE (5) HIM (7) HIN (5) HIP (7) HIS (5) HIT (5) HMM (9) HOB (8) HOD (6) HOE (5) HOG (8) HON (5) HOP (7) HOT (5) HOW (9) HOY (8) HUB (9) HUE (6) HUG (9) HUH (8) HUM (8) HUN (6) HUP (8) HUT (6) HYP (10)
I — ICE (5) ICH (7) ICK (10) ICY (8) IDS (4) IFF (9) IFS (6) ILK (9) ILL (5) IMP (7) INK (8) INN (3) INS (3) ION (3) IRE (3) IRK (8) ISM (5) ITS (3) IVY (11)
J — JAB (15) JAG (15) JAM (14) JAR (12) JAW (16) JAY (15) JEE (12) JET (12) JEU (13) JIB (15) JIG (15) JIN (12) JOB (15) JOE (12) JOG (15) JOT (12) JOW (16) JOY (15) JUG (16) JUN (13) JUS (13) JUT (13)
K — KAB (11) KAE (8) KAF (11) KAS (8) KAT (8) KAY (11) KEA (8) KEF (11) KEG (11) KEN (8) KEP (10) KEX (15) KEY (11) KHI (10) KID (9) KIF (11) KIN (8) KIP (10) KIR (8) KIT (8) KOA (8) KOB (11) KOI (8) KOP (10) KOR (8) KOS (8) KUE (9)
L — LAB (7) LAC (6) LAD (5) LAG (7) LAM (6) LAP (6) LAR (4) LAS (4) LAT (4) LAV (9) LAW (8) LAX (11) LAY (7) LEA (4) LED (5) LEE (4) LEG (7) LEI (4) LEK (9) LET (4) LEU (5) LEV (9) LEX (11) LEY (7) LIB (7) LID (5) LIE (4) LIN (4) LIP (6) LIS (4) LIT (4) LOB (7) LOG (7) LOO (4) LOP (6) LOT (4) LOW (8) LOX (11) LUG (8) LUM (7) LUV (10) LUX (12) LYE (7)
M — MAC (7) MAD (6) MAE (5) MAG (8) MAN (5) MAP (7) MAR (5) MAS (5) MAT (5) MAW (9) MAX (12) MAY (8) MED (6) MEL (6) MEM (7) MEN (5) MET (5) MEW (9) MHO (7) MIB (8) MID (6) MIG (8) MIL (6) MIM (7) MIR (5) MIS (5) MIX (12) MOA (5) MOB (8) MOC (7) MOD (6) MOG (8) MOL (6) MOM (7) MON (5) MOO (5) MOP (7) MOR (5) MOS (5) MOT (5) MOW (9) MUD (7) MUG (9) MUM (8) MUN (6) MUS (6) MUT (6)
N — NAB (6) NAE (3) NAG (6) NAH (5) NAM (5) NAN (3) NAP (5) NAW (7) NAY (6) NEB (6) NEE (3) NET (3) NEW (7) NIB (6) NIL (4) NIM (5) NIP (5) NIT (3) NIX (10) NOB (6) NOD (4) NOG (6) NOH (5) NOM (5) NOO (3) NOR (3) NOS (3) NOT (3) NOW (7) NTH (5) NUB (7) NUN (4) NUS (4) NUT (4)
O — OAF (6) OAK (8) OAR (3) OAT (3) OBE (6) OBI (6) OCA (5) ODD (5) ODE (4) ODS (4) OES (3) OFF (9) OFT (6) OHM (7) OHO (5) OHS (5) OIL (4) OKA (8) OKE (8) OLD (5) OLE (4) OMS (5) ONE (3) ONS (3) OOH (5) OOT (3) OPE (5) OPS (5) OPT (5) ORA (3) ORB (6) ORC (5) ORE (3) ORS (3) ORT (3) OSE (3) OUD (5) OUR (4) OUT (4) OVA (8) OWE (7) OWL (8) OWN (7) OXO (10) OXY (13)
P — PAC (7) PAD (6) PAH (7) PAL (6) PAM (7) PAN (5) PAP (7) PAR (5) PAS (5) PAT (5) PAW (9) PAX (12) PAY (8) PEA (5) PEC (7) PED (6) PEE (5) PEG (8) PEH (7) PEN (5) PEP (7) PER (5) PES (5) PET (5) PEW (9) PHI (7) PHT (7) PIA (5) PIC (7) PIE (5) PIG (8) PIN (5) PIP (7) PIS (5) PIT (5) PIU (6) PIX (12) PLY (9) POD (6) POH (7) POI (5) POL (6) POM (7) POP (7) POT (5) POW (9) POX (12) PRO (5) PRY (8) PSI (5) PUB (9) PUD (7) PUG (9) PUL (7) PUN (6) PUP (8) PUR (6) PUS (6) PUT (6) PYA (8) PYE (8) PYX (15)
Q — QAT (12) QIS (12) QUA (13)
R — RAD (4) RAG (6) RAH (5) RAJ (12) RAM (5) RAN (3) RAP (5) RAS (3) RAT (3) RAW (7) RAX (10) RAY (6) REB (6) REC (5) RED (4) REE (3) REF (6) REG (6) REI (3) REM (5) REP (5) RES (3) RET (3) REV (8) REX (10) RHO (5) RIA (3) RIB (6) RID (4) RIF (6) RIG (6) RIM (5) RIN (3) RIP (5) ROB (6) ROC (5) ROD (4) ROE (3) ROM (5) ROT (3) ROW (7) RUB (7) RUE (4) RUG (7) RUM (6) RUN (4) RUT (4) RYA (6) RYE (6)
S — SAB (6) SAC (5) SAD (4) SAE (3) SAG (6) SAL (4) SAP (5) SAT (3) SAU (4) SAW (7) SAX (10) SAY (6) SEA (3) SEC (5) SEE (3) SEG (6) SEI (3) SEL (4) SEN (3) SER (3) SET (3) SEW (7) SEX (10) SHA (5) SHE (5) SHH (7) SHY (8) SIB (6) SIC (5) SIM (5) SIN (3) SIP (5) SIR (3) SIS (3) SIT (3) SIX (10) SKA (8) SKI (8) SKY (11) SLY (7) SOB (6) SOD (4) SOL (4) SON (3) SOP (5) SOS (3) SOT (3) SOU (4) SOW (7) SOX (10) SOY (6) SPA (5) SPY (8) SRI (3) STY (6) SUB (7) SUE (4) SUM (6) SUN (4) SUP (6) SUQ (13) SYN (6)
T — TAB (6) TAD (4) TAE (3) TAG (6) TAJ (12) TAM (5) TAN (3) TAO (3) TAP (5) TAR (3) TAS (3) TAT (3) TAU (4) TAV (8) TAW (7) TAX (10) TEA (3) TED (4) TEE (3) TEG (6) TEL (4) TEN (3) TET (3) TEW (7) THE (5) THO (5) THY (8) TIC (5) TIE (3) TIL (4) TIN (3) TIP (5) TIS (3) TIT (3) TOD (4) TOE (3) TOG (6) TOM (5) TON (3) TOO (3) TOP (5) TOR (3) TOT (3) TOW (7) TOY (6) TRY (6) TSK (8) TUB (7) TUG (7) TUI (4) TUN (4) TUP (6) TUT (4) TUX (11) TWA (7) TWO (7) TYE (6)
U — UDO (5) UGH (9) UKE (9) ULU (6) UMM (8) UMP (8) UNS (4) UPO (6) UPS (6) URB (7) URD (5) URN (4) USE (4) UTA (4) UTS (4)
V — VAC (10) VAN (8) VAR (8) VAS (8) VAT (8) VAU (9) VAV (13) VAW (12) VEE (8) VEG (11) VET (8) VEX (15) VIA (8) VIE (8) VIG (11) VIM (10) VIS (8) VOE (8) VOW (12) VOX (15) VUG (12)
W — WAB (10) WAD (8) WAE (7) WAG (10) WAN (7) WAP (9) WAR (7) WAS (7) WAT (7) WAW (11) WAX (14) WAY (10) WEB (10) WED (8) WEE (7) WEN (7) WET (7) WHA (9) WHO (9) WHY (12) WIG (10) WIN (7) WIS (7) WIT (7) WIZ (16) WOE (7) WOG (10) WOK (12) WON (7) WOO (7) WOS (7) WOT (7) WOW (11) WRY (10) WUD (9) WYE (10) WYN (10)
X — XIS (10)
Y — YAH (8) YAK (11) YAM (8) YAP (8) YAR (6) YAW (10) YAY (9) YEA (6) YEH (8) YEN (6) YEP (8) YES (6) YET (6) YEW (10) YID (7) YIN (6) YIP (8) YOB (9) YOD (7) YOK (11) YOM (8) YON (6) YOU (7) YOW (10) YUK (12) YUM (9) YUP (9)
Z — ZAG (15) ZAP (14) ZAS (12) ZAX (19) ZED (13) ZEE (12) ZEK (17) ZIG (15) ZIN (12) ZIP (14) ZIT (12) ZOA (12) ZOO (12)
Note: the NYT curates its own list from NWL23, so a small number of entries here may be rejected in-game. Where our list and the game disagree, the game wins — the solver will always have a legal alternative one result down.
Vowel-heavy three-letter words
When your rack is all vowels, these 181 words (two or more vowels) are your escape route. Pair them with the vowel-dump list for longer options.
AAH AAL AAS ABA ABO ACE ADO AGA AGE AGO AHA AID AIL AIM AIN AIR AIS AIT ALA ALE AMA AMI AMU ANA ANE ANI APE ARE ATE AUK AVA AVE AVO AWA AWE AXE AYE AZO BAA BEE BIO BOA BOO CEE COO CUE DEE DIE DOE DUE DUI DUO EAR EAT EAU ECU EEL EGO EKE EME EMU EON ERA ERE ETA EVE EWE EYE FEE FEU FIE FOE FOU GAE GEE GIE GOA GOO HAE HAO HIE HOE HUE ICE ION IRE JEE JEU JOE KAE KEA KOA KOI KUE LEA LEE LEI LEU LIE LOO MAE MOA MOO NAE NEE NOO OAF OAK OAR OAT OBE OBI OCA ODE OES OHO OIL OKA OKE OLE ONE OOH OOT OPE ORA ORE OSE OUD OUR OUT OVA OWE OXO PEA PEE PIA PIE PIU POI QUA REE REI RIA ROE RUE SAE SAU SEA SEE SEI SOU SUE TAE TAO TAU TEA TEE TIE TOE TOO TUI UDO UKE ULU UPO USE UTA VAU VEE VIA VIE VOE WAE WEE WOE WOO YEA YOU ZEE ZOA ZOO
How to practise them
Don't try to memorise the full list. Instead, after each game screenshot your board, run the solver, and look at which three-letter hooks the top plays use. The same twenty or thirty words come up again and again; after a week you'll spot them unprompted.
Related
Crossplay Board Solver · Solve from a screenshot · How to play · Board layout · Tile values · Two-letter words · Q words without U · J, Q, X, Z words · Vowel dumps · Strategy tips